Aspiring YouTuber Arrested For Shooting Her Boyfriend Through a Book for a Video

On Wednesday, 19-year-old Monalisa Perez shot her boyfriend,
22-year-old Pedro Ruiz III, in the chest from a foot away with
only an encyclopedia covering his body, killing him. The couple
were aspiring YouTube stars based in Minnesota who believed
that footage from the “stunt” would attract more viewers.

Hours before Perez called the police for help, she tweeted that
Ruiz had convinced her to take part in a video that would be
“one of the most dangerous” ever done, saying it was his idea,
not hers.

According to the Star
Tribune, Ruiz had supposedly been pushing for the video,
showing Perez other books he’d shot that weren’t penetrated by
a bullet. The couple used a a .50-caliber Desert Eagle pistol,
which NBC Newsreports is considered one of
the most powerful pistols in the world.

Perez and Ruiz have a 3-year-old together, and Perez is
expecting another child. Their YouTube channel descriptionreads, “Our Vlogs will show
you the real life of a young couple who happen to be teen
parents. From highs to lows. Achievements to struggles. Join
the fun, Follow our journey!”

The couple’s child was supposedly present during the
video-taping as was Ruiz’s aunt, Lisa Primeau, who says she
tried to talk him out of doing the stunt.

“He had told me about that idea,” Primeau toldWDAY-TV in
Fargo, “and I said, ‘Don’t do it. Don’t do it. Why are you
going to use a gun? Why?’”

NBC Newsreports that Perez was
charged with second-degree manslaughter, and could face 10
years in prison and/or a fine of $20,000. Primeau does not seem
to blame Perez for Ruiz’s death, saying he had been working for
the railway to support his family, and his extended relations
are stepping in to help her.

“It’s a tragic incident,” said Primeau. “What she did,
she has to live with that. It’s the worst punishment she can
get. She is pregnant with their second kid. It’s just
heartbreaking.”